Apple beats Google in 'most valuable brand' face-off

Technology dominates list

Apple has been given the prestigious accolade of 'most valuable global brand', ousting Google from the top spot it had held for four years.

According to Millward Brown Optimor, who carried out the BrandZ study, Apple managed to increase a massive 84 per cent in value year on year and is one of six technology companies that head up the top 10.

It was a good year all round for technology, with Facebook making the top 100 for the first time – the social network is in at number 35.

Amazon also managed to pass a milestone, overtaking Walmart as the number one retail brand in the world.

Overall technology and telecom brands make up a third of the top 100 brands, compared to a quarter in 2006.

Premium v freemium

In all, Apple managed to bring its valuation up from $83,153 million in 2010 to $153,285 million today Nigel Hollis of Millward Brown Optimor said in his blog about the results: "The contrast between Apple and Google is even more interesting because of the very different models the two companies espouse.

"Google is the archetypal internet brand, with free services and open systems. Premium-priced Apple eschews the open model in favour of what Steve Jobs refers to as an 'integrated' model."